Ballroom Marfa and the Marfa Public Library presented the first installment of Book and a Movie, a program highlighting novels that have been adapted for the cinema. The novel and film selected for August was Never Let Me Go, written by Kazuo Ishiguro in 2005 and adapted by director Mark Romanek in 2010.

The politics that arise when a film is sourced from a novel or short story have been a part of the multimedia cultural conversation since the dawn of cinema. Book to film adaptations range from Erich von Stroheim’s Greed (1924), a 16-hour real-time silent film adaptation of Frank Norris’ McTeague; to more free-form reinventions such as Ridley Scott’s transformation of Philip K. Dick’s classic Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? into the iconic Blade Runner. In Book and a Movie, The Marfa community was invited to discuss competing versions of a narrative and explore the ideas and problems that occur when stories become films.Never Let Me Go is a dystopian novel by Japanese-born British author Kazuo Ishiguro. It was shortlisted for the 2005 Booker Prize (an award Ishiguro had previously won in 1989 for The Remains of the Day), and the Arthur C. Clarke award for best science-fiction novel. The main characters Ruth, Kathy and Tommy spend their childhood at a seemingly idyllic English boarding school. The children are sheltered from the outside world, brought up to believe they are special, and that their personal welfare is crucial. But for what reason are they really there? It is only years later that Kathy, now aged 31, finally begins to question her childhood memories.h. What unfolds is the haunting story of how Kathy, Ruth and Tommy slowly face the truth about their childhoods – and their futures.

The 2010 film version was directed by Mark Romanek, previously known for his 2002 film One Hour Photo, as well as videos for Fiona Apple, Jay-Z, Johnny Cash and Michael and Janet Jackson. Never Let Me Go was generally well received by critics, and considered to be a faithful adaptation of the tone and content of Ishiguro’s uniquely moving novel.

The first discussion was held at Marfa Public Library. The film screening and discussion took place at the Marfa Public Library’s state-of-the-art Blu-ray screening facility. Panelists Elizabeth Redding, Dirk Vaughn and Library Director Renee Mick led both sessions. 

This program was free and open to the public.